Bumper guard



Feb. 11, 1936. c HOWARD 2,030,255

BUMPER GUARD Filed June 28, 1935 'L'Z INVENTORL fm/z/a CZ Wawara ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUMPER GUARD Frank 0. Howard, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Automatic Devices 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 28, 1933, Serial No. 678,094

Claims. (01. 293-55) My invention relates to guards usually applied forcibly, the shock is absorbed and clashing or frontally of automobile bumpers at the points of marring effects on other bumpers are avoided. most probable impact or collision, and my main The center of the head 9 is preferably made object is to provide a guard of this kind with a with a recess 9a in which I lodge a reflector jewel 5 novel cushioning element by means of which l2 so as to be clearly seen frontally of the car. 5 shocks of direct impact are absorbed. I The marginal portion l2a of the jewel is firmly A further object of the invention is to design imbcdded in the stock of the cushioning element the novel cushioning element as an attachment so that no special securing means are necessary for easy application and removal. for the jewel.

10 Another object of the invention is to construct It will be seen that the novel features present m the novel cushioning element in the form of a a neat and effective improvement in bumper button and with integral retaining means for guards, saving the same and other bumpers from attachment to the guard. injury and eliminating shocks and damage. The

An additional object of the invention is to device is easily attachable and may be removed incorporate in the novel cushioning element a by simply pulling it out, in case where the head is reflecting jewel for purposes of attraction. has become worn or deformed, and easily re- With the above objects in View and any others placed; Finally, with the addition of the reflector that may suggest themselves from the specifijewel, the device also serves as an attraction and cation and claims to follow, a better understandsignal to other cars.

ing of the invention may be had by reference to I claim:- 20 the accompanying drawing, in which 1. In a device of the type described, the com- Fig. l is a front elevation of a typical bumper bination of a metal bar having an opening theregllard p d W y invention; through, a cushioning member of yielding ma- Fig. 2 is a side viewpartly in section, and terial secured on the front face of said bar and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thenovel cushhaving a socket in its front face substantially 2.

ioning element. opposite to said opening, and a reflector secured Referring p fi y the d w ng, 5 denotes in said socket so arranged as to be capable of a typical guard of the character mentioned; the yielding backwardly through said opening upon e v g Suitable Clamping means 6 0n the heavy backward pressure on said cushioning rear side for securing it to a bar type of bumper member or on said reflector. Iii) 1. In id nt y. h p f p n m n or 2. In a device of the type described, the comparticular form of the guard is immaterial to binati n f a, metal bar having an opening therethe present invention, and I make no claim th h, cushioning membe of yielding matherefor. terial secured on the front face of said bar and Guards of the type under consideration are having socket in t front face substantially :1.) ordinarily of hOllOW 01 dished form, and for the opposite to said opening, and a, reflector secured P p e of my invention I make & perforation 3 in said socket and spaced well back from the forin the front wall Of the guard at the height 0f ward open end of the socket whereby the refleethe p The Cushioning element is a sing e tor is protected from a blow from the front and piece of soft rubber formed with a button head 9, is protected with respect to backward pressure 49' a neck l0 and a disc II in succession as clearly thereon by t ability to yield backwardly th shown in Fig. 3. said opening.

The neck of the cushioning element is 3. In a device of the type described, the comproximately of the same diameter as the perfobination of a transverse bumper a second ration 8 in the guard so that the cushion may be bar secured in crossed relationship said first l5 :fiplled to the latter by forcing the flange H named bar and having n opening through a rough the perforation so as .o overlie the latter on the inside of the guard as shown clearly in portlon m frfmt of Sand first m bar and m spaced relation thereto, a CllShlOIllDg member.

i Fig. 2. The head 9 is, of course, larger than the 50 flange and occupies the greater portion of the of yleldmg mammal extendmg through guard at the height of the bumper opening and held in position therein by outwardly As mounted, the head 9 of the cushioning eleextending flange p t n t pp ite faces ofment presents a thick rubber cushion frontally d Second a ed b and h v n a Socket in its of the guard and at a height to meet the bumpers front face substantially Opp e Said p 56 of other cars, but instead of striking the same and a reflector secured in said socket and yieldable backwardly through said opening upon backward pressure thereon.

4. In a device of the type described, the combination of a transverse bumper bar, a second bar secured in crossed'relationship to said first named bar and having an opening through a portion in front of said first named bar and in spaced relation thereto, a cushioning member of yielding material extending through said opening and held in position therein by outwardly extending flange portions at opposite faces of said second named bar and having a socket in its front face substantially opposite said opening, and a reflector secured in said socket in substantially spaced relation backwardly with respect to the forward open end of the socket and of smaller diameter than said opening whereby said reflector is adapted to yield backwardly through said opening.

5. In a device of the type described, the combination of a metal bar having an opening there through, a cushioning member of yielding material having an outwardly open groove into which the metal of the bar about the opening extends for holding the cushioning member in position and having a socket in its front face provided with an inwardly open groove at its rear end, and a reflector secured in said inwardly open groove and held in position by said member.

FRANK C. HOWARD. 

